Half Girlfriend

Madhav Jha, a rural student from Dumraon, travels to meet the author and leaves behind journals written by his half-girlfriend, whom he believes is dead. The author, Chetan Bhagat, calls him the next morning to hear his story and begins listening to the events he recounts.

Madhav struggles to enter St. Stephen's College because his English isn't strong enough. His basketball talent helps him secure admission through the college's sports program.

Riya Somani, a rich Sindhi girl from Delhi, is selected through the same sports program. Madhav and Riya become close friends and teammates through their shared love of basketball.

Madhav wants to take their relationship further, but Riya refuses and parts ways after the blunt ultimatum. The breakup strains their friendship and sets them on separate paths.

A year after their breakup, Riya marries her childhood friend Rohan in London. Madhav, unable to cope with Delhi's memories, returns to his hometown Dumraon to help his mother run her school.

Back in Dumraon, Madhav sees the school in disrepair and vows to fix it. He seeks to improve the facilities and provide a better education for local children.

Madhav approaches local MLA Ojha for funding to renovate the school. The MLA refuses, citing political constraints and limited resources.

Ojha informs Madhav that Bill Gates will visit some Bihar schools, offering a chance to secure funding. To win Gates' support, Madhav must craft and deliver a compelling English speech.

Madhav runs into Riya again; she is a divorcee and agrees to help him prepare the speech. The fundraising effort succeeds, but afterward she leaves a letter revealing she is in the last stage of cancer and has only three months left to live.

After the fundraising, Riya disappears, having cut all ties in India. Madhav learns of it and sets out to find her, but cannot locate her.

Three years pass before it is revealed through Riya's journals that she is alive and had faked the cancer. Madhav decides to search for her in New York.

After months of searching, Madhav locates Riya at Cafe Wha in New York and they reconcile. They decide to begin their relationship anew.

Three and a half years after the original events, the author visits the Dumraon school and finds Madhav and Riya running it successfully.

The author also learns that the couple has a son named Shyam, signaling a settled life back in the village. They continue to run the school and build a future for their community.